Campbell, Flake To Challenge Rangel Earmarks

By Patrick O'Connor

(The Politico)  Two outspoken conservative Republicans promised Wednesday to challenge any earmarks Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) requests for a center that bears his name. 

Republican Reps. John Campbell of California and Jeff Flake of Arizona issued a release vowing to strip any congressionally directed funds that are steered to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York.

“This project was bad enough when we thought it was just one earmark,” Flake said, “but this appears to be an ongoing effort to milk federal taxpayers.”

Rangel is the scorn of conservatives and government watchdog groups after the Washington Post reported earlier this week that the powerful Ways and Means chairman has solicited donations from companies and individuals with business before his committee.

Campbell challenged Rangel in a spirited dust-up on the House floor last year when the California conservative offered an amendment to a year-end government-funding package that would have stripped $1,950,000 the New York Democrat had requested for the center. During their exchange, Rangel joked that Campbell had not been in the House long enough to deserve a research center named in his honor. The House defeated Campbell's amendment, 316-108.
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